The Chateau of Chambord is a French chateau located in the town of Chambord, the department of Loir-et-Cher and the Centre region. The castle, the largest of the castles of the Loire, was built in the heart of the largest enclosed forest park in Europe (5441 ha). It was built by order of Francis I of France between 1519 and 1547.
Chambord is recognized to be the most extraordinary appointments hunting Francis. Enchantment and immensity are the two key words that come to mind of visitors.
The castle was declared a World Heritage of UNESCO since 1981 and is included since 2000 in the zone classification of the Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire. It is also a historic monument since 1840 and recognized public institution operating in industrial and commercial since 2005.
History of Château of Chambord
François I
Who designed Château Chambord is a matter of controversy. The original design of the Château de Chambord is attributed, though with several doubts, to Domenico da Cortona, whose wooden model for the design survived long enough to be drawn by André Félibien in the 17th century. Some authors, though, claim that the French Renaissance architect Philibert Delorme had a considerable role in the Château’s design. In 1913 Marcel Reymond suggested that Leonardo da Vinci a guest of François at Clos Lucé near Amboise, was responsible for the original design, which reflects Leonardo’s plans for a château at Romorantin for the King’s mother, and his interests in central planning and double helical staircases; the discussion has not yet concluded.
Regardless of who designed the château, on 6 September 1519 François Pombriant was ordered to begin construction of Chateau Chambord. The work was interrupted by the Italian War of 1521–1526, and work was slowed by dwindling royal funds and difficulties in laying the structure’s foundations. By 1524, the walls were barely above ground level. Building resumed in September 1526, at which point 1,800 workers were employed building the château. At the time of the death of François in 1547, the work had cost 444,070 livres. During François I’s reign, the château was rarely inhabited. In fact, the king spent barely seven weeks there in total, comprising short hunting visits. As the château had been constructed with the purpose of short stays, it was actually not practical to live there on a longer-term basis. The massive rooms, open windows and high ceilings meant heating was impractical. Similarly, as the château was not surrounded by a village or estate, there was no immediate source of food other than game. This meant that all food had to be brought with the group, typically numbering up to 2,000 people at a time.
As a result of all the above, the château was completely unfurnished during this period. All furniture, wall coverings, eating implements and so forth were brought specifically for each hunting trip, a major logistical exercise. It is for this reason that much furniture from the era was built to be disassembled to facilitate transportation. After François died of a heart attack in 1547, the château was not used for almost a century.
Louis XIV
For more than 80 years after the death of King François, French kings abandoned the château, allowing it to fall into decay. Finally, in 1639 King Louis XIII gave it to his brother, Gaston d’Orleans, who saved the château from ruin by carrying out much restoration work. King Louis XIV had the great keep restored and furnished the royal apartments. The king then added a 1,200-horse stable, enabling him to use the château as a hunting lodge and a place to entertain a few weeks each year. Nonetheless, Louis XIV abandoned the château in 1685.
Louis XV
From 1725 to 1733, Stanislas Leszczyński (Stanislas I), the deposed King of Poland and father-in-law of King Louis XV, lived at Chambord. In 1745, as a reward for valour, the king gave the château to Maurice de Saxe, Marshal of France who installed his military regiment there. Maurice de Saxe died in 1750 and once again the colossal château sat empty for many years.
The Comte de Chambord
In 1792, the Revolutionary government ordered the sale of the furnishings; the wall panellings were removed and even floors were taken up and sold for the value of their timber, and, according to M de la Saussaye, the panelled doors were burned to keep the rooms warm during the sales; the empty château was left abandoned until Napoleon Bonaparte gave it to his subordinate, Louis Alexandre Berthier. The château was subsequently purchased from his widow for the infant Duke of Bordeaux, Henri Charles Dieudonné (1820–1883) who took the title Comte de Chambord. A brief attempt at restoration and occupation was made by his grandfather King Charles X (1824–1830) but in 1830 both were exiled. During the Franco-Prussian War, (1870–1871) the château was used as a field hospital.
The Ducal family
The final attempt to make use of the colossus came from the Comte de Chambord but after the Comte died in 1883, the château was left to his sister’s heirs, the Ducal family of Parma, Italy. Firstly Robert, Duke of Parma who died in 1907 and after him, Elias, Prince of Parma. Any attempts at restoration ended with the onset of World War I in 1914.
Modern history
Château Chambord was confiscated as enemy property in 1915, but the family of the Duke of Parma sued to recover it, and that suit was not settled until 1932; restoration work was not begun until a few years after World War II ended in 1945. Today, Chambord is a major tourist attraction.
In 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, the art collections of the Louvre and Compiègne museums (including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo) were stored at the Château de Chambord. An American B-24 Liberator bomber crashed onto the château lawn on June 22, 1944.
Contenu soumis à la licence CC-BY-SA. Source : Article Château de Chambord de Wikipédia en français (auteurs)
Le château fut inscrit au Patrimoine mondial de l’ UNESCO dès 1981 et est inclus depuis 2000 dans la zone de classement du Val de Loire entre Sully-sur-Loire et Chalonnes-sur-Loire. The castle was declared a World Heritage of UNESCO since 1981 and is included since 2000 in the zone classification of the Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire. Il est également classé Monument historique depuis 1840 et reconnu Établissement public à caractère industriel et commercial depuis 2005. It is also a historic monument since 1840 and recognized public institution operating in industrial and commercial since 2005.
Histoire du Château de Chambord History of the Château de Chambord
Le vaste domaine boisé de Chambord fut acheté en 1392 aux comtes de Blois par la famille d’Orléans. The vast forest of Chambord was purchased in 1392 the Counts of Blois by the family of Orleans. Lorsque le duc d’Orléans devient roi de France en 1498 sous le nom de Louis XII, le domaine de Chambord devient propriété de la Couronne . When the Duke of Orleans became King of France in 1498 under the name of Louis XII, the Chambord estate becomes property of the Crown.
En 1516, François Ier revient d’Italie avec Léonard de Vinci et le désir de réaliser un grand édifice dans le style de la Renaissance italienne. In 1516, Francis returned to Italy with Leonardo da Vinci and the desire to achieve a large building in the style of the Italian Renaissance. En 1519, le site de Chambord est choisi pour ouvrir le chantier d’une résidence de chasse sur l’emplacement d’un ancien château fort. In 1519, the site of Chambord is chosen to open the site of a hunting lodge on the site of a former castle. À partir de 1526, 1800 ouvriers travaillent à la construction du château. Starting from 1526, 1800 workers employed in the construction of the castle.
Elle s’achève après de multiples agrandissements en 1547, à la mort du roi, par l’aile des appartements royaux. It ends after multiple expansions in 1547, the death of the king by the wings of the royal apartments. François Ier a finalement passé très peu de temps à Chambord, pour quelques parties de chasse et pour démontrer sa puissance à son rival, Charles Quint . Francis ended up spending very little time at Chambord, a few hunting parties and to demonstrate the power of his rival, Charles V.
Les rois de France délaissent le château après la mort de François Ier, et il se dégrade peu à peu. The kings of France are leaving the castle after the death of Francis I, and it degrades slowly.
Molière ya donné sa première représentation du Bourgeois gentilhomme le 14 octobre 1670. Molière has given its first performance of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme October 14, 1670.
De 1725 à 1733, le château a été occupé par le beau-père de Louis XV : Stanislas Leszczynski , roi détrôné de Pologne puis duc de Lorraine et de Bar. From 1725 to 1733, the castle was occupied by the stepfather of Louis XV: Stanislas Leszczynski, the deposed king of Poland and Duke of Lorraine and Bar.
En 1792, le gouvernement révolutionnaire fait vendre le mobilier. In 1792, the revolutionary government sells furniture. Napoléon Bonaparte donne le château au maréchal Berthier, prince de Neuchâtel et Wagram. Napoleon Bonaparte gave the castle to Marshal Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel and Wagram. En 1821, le domaine est racheté à sa veuve, Elisabeth de Bavière, grâce à une souscription nationale, qui l’offre au jeune Henri d’Artois, duc de Bordeaux, né l’année précédente, sept mois après l’assassinat de son père, le duc de Berry et, pour cette raison, baptisé « l’enfant du miracle ». In 1821, the estate was purchased from his widow, Elisabeth of Bavaria, with a national subscription, which offers the young Henri d’Artois, duc de Bordeaux, born the previous year, seven months after the assassination of his father, the Duke of Berry, and for this reason, called “the miracle child.”
Pendant la guerre franco-allemande de 1870 il sert comme hôpital de campagne. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 he served as field hospital. Le comte de Chambord y résidera très brièvement en 1871, et lancera depuis Chambord un manifeste aux Français, appelant à la restauration de la monarchie et du drapeau blanc. The Count de Chambord to reside very briefly in 1871, and since Chambord launch a manifesto to the French, calling for the restoration of the monarchy and the white flag. Après 1883, le château appartient à l’ancienne famille régnante du duché de Parme, le duc Robert de Parme l’ayant hérité de son oncle maternel, le comte de Chambord. After 1883 the castle belongs to the former ruling family of the Duchy of Parma, Duke Robert of Parma had inherited from his maternal uncle, the Count of Chambord.
Le domaine, racheté onze millions de francs-or au duc de Parme , le prince Élie de Bourbon, est la propriété de l’État depuis 1932 qui le gère par le truchement de l’Association des amis de Chambord. The estate, bought eleven million gold francs to the Duke of Parma, Prince Elias of Bourbon, is owned by the state since 1932 that runs through the Association des Amis de Chambord.
Pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le château abrita certaines œuvres du musée du Louvre. During the Second World War, the castle was home to some works from the Louvre Museum.
En 1945, un incendie détruit une partie de la toiture du donjon sud-est. In 1945 a fire destroyed part of the roof of the tower southeast. En 1947 commence une grande remise à niveau de ce qui est devenu une attraction touristique majeure avec notamment des spectacles Son et lumières dont le premier eut lieu le 30 mai 1952. In 1947 began a major upgrade from what has become a major tourist attraction with shows including sound and light show which first took place May 30, 1952.
Chateau of Chambord